2009 Nissan Murano

Thanks to its new, more refined design, the 2009 Murano shows that this family crossover wasn't a one-hit wonder

by Marty Padgett

Turning a good sketch into fine art.

If the Nissan Murano was an unexpected hit the first time out of the family-crossover box, it surely didn't show. Introduced in 2003, the Murano arrived on the scene exceptionally well-baked -- with good packaging, a smart sense of urban style, and a rorty V-6 engine coupled to a newfangled continuously variable transmission. Everything about the Murano announced it was new and different.

For its follow-up act, the Murano strays not one iota from its successful formula. But if you're looking under its parking spot for laurels being rested on, don't look too long. The Murano's benefited from a complete redesign, switching to a version of the new four-door Altima's platform, incorporating a stiffer and more handsome body while improving its responsiveness and most importantly, its sense of refinement.

It's so relentlessly refined, that the airy PR comparisons to Lexus' RX crossover actually hold water. The 2009 Murano is just as smooth as the RX, definitely sharper in profile, and very nearly the Lexus' equal in interior refinement.

A CVT for all of us (hallelujah)

Click here to find out more! Nissan skipped the 2008 model year, so the Murano arrives as a 2009 model, with five different models spanning the lineup. There are S and SL Muranos, available with front- or all-wheel drive; the LE is only offered in all-wheel drive. The sporting SE model, with its gated shifter, has been dropped.

The territory covered by the new Murano's mechanicals is very familiar, but Nissan's strategy to use a few brilliant pieces everywhere has paid off under the hood. All Muranos are sourced with Nissan's 265-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6, which also twists out 248 pound-feet of torque. Similar six-cylinders slot into Infiniti's G35 sedan and Nissan's 350Z coupe and roadster, so it's no shock that the Murano responds with free revs and loads of power.

And to our great surprise, the continuously variable transmission (CVT) that transfers that power to the wheels doesn't feel more like a rubber band than a gearbox. CVTs from other automakers have been notorious for their lazy response and woe-is-me drivetrain noise, from the Dodge Caliber to the Ford Five Hundred. Here in the Murano, like the new compact Nissan Rogue, the CVT's been refined and massaged into an acceptable -- even enjoyable -- transmission. The constantly changing ratios change more quickly in the Murano, Nissan says, and the constant pitch change you hear as the engine and CVT seek out the optimal engine speed from an infinite set of possibilities is muted here. There aren't any paddle shifters to point you through a set of artificially chosen "ratios" as in the Rogue, but the Murano's CVT is probably the most finely tuned application of this technology out there, and it's certainly our favorite one.

The Murano also offers up all-wheel drive as an option. The system is linked to Nissan's version of stability control, which means it scans all the various wheel sensors as well as the steering sensor to determine where, and how much, power needs to be shifted.

Deft, not heft

Click here to find out more! Steering the Murano clear of obstacles is just one of its well-balanced talents. No mountain carver, the Murano nonetheless has good dynamics and controls for the driver, as well as lots of useful space in its more rigid body.

The body starts with nearly the same physical dimensions as the first Murano, but improvements in design make this version 1.5 times as strong in body rigidity than before, Nissan says. The benefits of that strength play out through its independent front and multi-link rear suspension in the form of smooth, controlled ride motions without the jiggly shaking motions common to larger SUVs and crossovers.

The body's taut -- which means the Murano's variable power steering has less interference in its response, too. Compared to the overly light control found in Toyota's new Highlander, the Murano's deft steering is the most user-friendly of the latest batch of crossovers.

Our day-long trek from Scottsdale to Sedona, at the helm of the Murano, didn't involve much heavy braking.